Chanukah and Burnout

Why didn't God simply give the Jews an eight-day supply of oil?

Every miracle has a special message. And since God can do anything, the particular way He chooses to make Himself known always has a deeper meaning.

That's why the miracle of Chanukah always intrigued me. Here were the Jews who had just succeeded in achieving an incredible military victory. They overcame the Syrian Greeks and were once again in control of the holy Temple. Now they could worship God as they had in the past. They were ready to light the menorah but, as we all know, they didn't have enough oil on hand to last the necessary eight days until they could prepare the amount they needed.

They found a small cruse with oil, sealed with the stamp of the high priest to attest to its purity - but it was only sufficient to last for one day. They lit it nonetheless, in the hope that God would at least be pleased with their effort. Lo and behold they were rewarded with the miracle that put its stamp on the holiday; the little cruse that natural law would have dictated could burn only for one day miraculously continued to give its light for eight.

God solved their problem. Natural law took a backseat to divine intervention. On this one occasion, oil assumed physical properties that scientific rules would have deemed impossible.

But why didn't God handle this matter in a far simpler manner? He could have easily furnished a large eight-day supply container from His heavenly storehouse, without necessitating a violation of natural law.

For some reason, an important part of the miracle was precisely the fact that the oil they found was divinely decreed to burn far longer than its innate capacity.

And that's what makes the Chanukah miracle an almost exact replica of the miracle God chose to demonstrate to Moses when He appointed him to become the leader of the Jewish people.

We know the scene all too well. Moses was tending his sheep in the desert when he was struck by a vision that clearly transcended the laws of nature. A bush was burning and yet it was not consumed. It continued to burn simply because God commanded it to do so.

Yes, part of the purpose was to demonstrate Divine power, to let Moses know that he was being addressed by a supernatural being who had it within His power to perform a miraculous deed. But there were so many other ways in which God could have made clear His omnipotence. Surely, keeping the flame of a bush burning beyond its expected expiration time is not the most magical act the Almighty has available to Him in his infinite repertoire.

Why was the most relevant thing God could convey to Moses at their first meeting symbolized by a bush that was burning and yet was not consumed?

Burnout is the greatest challenge facing someone with a task that may become overwhelming.

Perhaps we can best understand it by way of a common metaphor. Moses was about to begin a journey of leadership that would last many years and demand of him a tremendous amount of dedication, hard work and commitment. It would certainly not be easy. The greatest difficulty facing someone with a task that over time may well become overwhelming and unbearable is the challenge of burnout. Day after day, year after year, to be forced to confront the interminable tests to his role as rabbi, teacher and ruler over the Jewish people is an undertaking that defies the imagination. It would appear to be beyond human endurance. Moses could have been consumed by his mission.

This is the remarkable truth God revealed to Moses with the sign of the burning bush. There is no burnout in the realm of the saintly. When the bush fulfills the will of God, it is not consumed. In the realm of the holy, natural law no longer applies.

Because Moses was about to begin his career on behalf of the Almighty, his first vision assured him that the despondency and depression of burnout would never be his fate; having a holy purpose for his existence would guarantee his dreams remain fresh and vibrant, continuously alive.

In my own life I have seen many cases of professional and personal burnout - but invariably they revolved around secular rather than sacred commitments.

Those whose careers centered around making more money often became tired of the grind, depressed by the unchanging scenario of daily living. They lost focus and burnt out, consumed and withered. But those who I've known who identified their lives with purpose seem to be invigorated every day by their pursuit of the holy, bringing light to their lives and the lives of others far beyond what might be considered natural.

I have seen many couples who began married life with great hope for the future, only to suffer from marital burnout. Their unions began with great fire and passion. But if their love lacked the spark of shared values and commitment to spiritual goals, burnout tragically followed.

My parents showed me how love rooted in holy lives replaced burnout with ever greater and more passionate commitment. It is a characteristic of marriage I strive strongly to emulate.

Chanukah and Purpose

Chanukah is the story of the first major Jewish encounter with secularism. The Syrian Greeks sought to seduce the Jewish people with a culture that stressed the holiness of beauty. Jews needed to reaffirm the doctrine that made them unique in the world by teaching the beauty of holiness.

By infusing every area of life with purpose and holiness we will never burnout.

The part of the Chanukah story that we don't like to discuss is the tragedy of the Jews who assimilated. Hellenists chose to reject Torah for the glitter and glow of a flame that seemed to shine more brightly than their own beautiful traditions.

The trade-off gave them a fire that consumed; the profane could never prevent burnout.

How beautiful then that the symbol we choose to commemorate the holiday revolves around the miracle that God selected to perform for those who remained true to the teachings of Moses.

The light of the menorah burning far longer than natural law would allow serves as an everlasting reminder that by infusing every area of life with purpose and holiness we will never burnout.

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About the Author

Rabbi Benjamin Blech, a frequent contributor to Aish, is a Professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University and an internationally recognized educator, religious leader, and lecturer. He is the author of 19 highly acclaimed books with combined sales of over a half million copies, A much sought after speaker, he is available as scholar in residence in your community. See his website at rabbibenjaminblech.com.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 9

(8)
Wolf,
December 2, 2010 6:47 PM

G-d's ways are for everybody

True, greeks in their vanity forgot about the real truth of G-d and became obsessed whit a banal image of him. They imposed something by violence and that is never good, cannot bring anything good to anybody (lesson learned, do not impose)
I'm catholic, but am sure G-d is only one for all, and I love the Hanukkah passage for it reminds me that he will never forget about those who search for him, I'm glad this miracle drew Jewish closer to him and has passed on for generations even though it's not in your scripture.
Jag Hanukkah Sameaj!

(7)
craig w,
November 30, 2010 11:24 PM

thank you Rabbi Blech

you always seem to teach me something new. this is a lovely and uplifting essay. reminding me about the value of a stable fire in place of a big exciting one that cannot last. teaching the beauty of holiness was also a great concept. all best, Craig from JC

(6)
Anonymous,
November 30, 2010 6:24 AM

Purpose

We have purpose because God always has a purpose in all that he does. That's where we get it from. God never sleeps nor need of slumber, we need time of rest and restoring or our purpose driven life can lead to burnout. Then our next purpose and goal will be a year of sabbatical to recoup. The ancient Hebrews took every 7Th year off from working the land. Hanukkah gives the opportunity to refresh oneself with the same God who brought the miracle of the lasting oil. In today's hectic fast pace world, 30 minutes of basting off of the oil, renews our strength. It may not be a year off, take the little moments whenever we can and the days set apart to do so

Dina - Jerusalem,
December 9, 2012 4:35 PM

7th year

Modern Hebrews still observe the Mitzvah of Shmittah and do not work the land (of Israel) every seventh year.
But this is not because of "burnout". There are too many ideas to go into here but basically, just as every seventh day is Shabbos, so every seventh year is a Sabbath for the land. This reminds us that the Land is not ours but belongs to Gd. And it gives the farmer a year to sit in a yeshiva and learn Torah.

(5)
Anonymous,
November 30, 2010 5:51 AM

We wouldn't be lighting Hanukkah Menorah's now if they had enough oil to last 8 days. God was creating memories for us today. His way in telling us from the past to the present, I'm with you!

(4)
leah,
November 29, 2010 8:23 PM

response for anonymous comment # 2

with regards to the seduction vs. coercion,
I think it is the value the Greeks placed on beauty that the rabbi is speaking about. They valued it and knew of its strength inseduction. I think however that it is not really a question whether or not a wife or a mother/father would extole the virtues of the dead in battle or the light of the Menorah in the Beit Hamikdash. Is it not possible to do both? Why must it only be one or the other. Perhaps in the times of the Beit Hamikdash the Jews were more spiritually grounded (even in lue of their mistakes) enough to say they would be able to separate the issues here. YES, both would be a tremenduos shock- to hear of one's son or one's husband's death and also a tremendous awakening and spiritual uplift to hear of Hashem's nais of Him making the oil last the 8 days and nights. I believe those Jews at that time would have been able to "see" this meaning in a very spiritual "light" of course no puns intended, yet only possible insight intended.
In addition to this I think that the grabbibg of power is a human mistake and not indeed a virtue if this is the fact at hand. So, I think the underlying message of Chanukah and burnout is still present and at the forefront. human feelings and actions, I believe, do not change the message that Rabbi Blech is stating as for what SHOULD be understood here as with regards to burnout and secular issues and the like. Please feel free to correspond as I am intersted in what your response may be. Be well.

(3)
Shirlee Rosenthal,
November 29, 2010 3:32 AM

Hanukah oil

I think the reason God did not give us oil for the 8 day's , HE wanted us(HIS people) to use our initiative and try to figure out how to keep the lamp burning for 8 days. Shalom. Shirlee

(2)
Anonymous,
November 28, 2010 3:34 PM

Seduction or Forced Conversion

Your article states that "the Syrian Greeks tried to seduce the Jews with a culture that stresses the holiness of beauty". For the record the Talmud states that 3 edicts were passed against the Jews on pain of death. No more circumcision, no more shabbos and no more Rosh Chodesh. This is coersion not seduction. I find it difficult to derive the lesson of not burning out personally from the menorah flame on the following account. The military side which is not discussed in detail definitely caused Jewish soldiers exhaustion, burnout and ultimately their death. There were casualties, the statistics just were not recorded. If your husband or son died in battle would you extole the virtue of an oil lamp you could not personaly view or your dead ? Secondly the Choshmonoyim appointed Cohanim as rulers instead of returning leadership to the descendents of Yehuda. It was a mistake to grab power and retain it. This is the explanation why their rule lasted only a scant 200 years till the Destruction of 2nd temple. Lets not confuse burnout with raw ambition. Thirdly, personal burnout and national burnout should not be equated or compared.
I was tending to my fathers needs before he died. Trust me nobody, friend or neighbor offered even once to watch my father for an hour or two while I get some R&R. A movie, a spa, an outing or vacation would have been a welcome change of pace. If we are truely "Arev Bemitzvos" responsible for our fellow Jew to keep the mitzvos, then some scant token communal expression of load sharing would have been manifest in those years of need. Would you not agree Rabbi?